Docking light



April 18,1950 I F.@ E 2,504,866

DCCKING LIGHT.

Filed May vea. 194g;

' IINVENTOR.

Jay/v F Noksz Patented Apr. 18, 1950 I a DOOKING LIGHT John F. Morse, Hudson, Ohio 'ApplicationMay 9', 19465'Serial No. 6633518 The pres'ent' invention has as its object the provision of an improved lighting installation which will assist in the operation of all types of water-borne craft; particularly motor boatsand similar-power operatedcraft. 1

Y Boats of the type specified'areusually equipped with searchlights as thesole means for illuminating the docking area when making a night landing/but'a searchlight will throw areas not in its direct path in absolute blackness and thus hide obstructions close to the boat. Th invention consists in providing mountings for floodlights in the hull of a boat so that the lights may be set or adjusted to illuminatejthe area immediately around theboatwhich cannot be reached by searchlights on the deck. In the preferred construction a number of docking lights are set about theihullof. theboat and may be controlled by appropriate circuits so. that the pilot may illuminate the entire area adjacent the'hull or selected parts so as to assistiin bringing th boat to itsberth without collision With piling or. other obstructions: lying at or near thesurface of the waterr- I The drawings--anddescription show the best known and preferred means for mounting a light of the type specified in the hull, it'being understood, however, that theinvention is not confined tothe details set-forth. Y i

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the embodiment which has been selected to illustrate the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. In this view the full lines show the light in direct horizontal position, while the dotted lines show a position in which it will ordinarily be adjusted for throwing the beams of light toward the water immediately around the boat.

Fig. 3 is a front view showing of the light.

In the drawings, the numeral I represents the side or hull of the boat. At the desired points, apertures 2 are cut out a short distance above the water line and in these apertures are set the flanged sockets or cradles 4 which support the several lamps.

Each socket has a central cylindrical portion 5 which is of somewhat greater depth than the thickness of the hull so that it projects for a short distance outwardly of the hull. On the rear, or

inside of the boat, the socket is formed with an 2 V ring;- 4. tightly-no water: may seep. through the bolt. holes;

The area around the socket is filled in withra.

caullcingscomposition, indicated at H.

At a pointtoward therear of the cradle, there is; provided a rib l2. forming a seat, the inner surface-of which is machined so that it provides a. frustro-spherical surface to receive the corre spondin surface-of'theIamp-holder l4. As in! dicatedin the. drawings. the holder: ['4 is in the form; of r a segment of' a sphere of sufficient ex tent so that the-holder may beset in any selected angular position .to direct the rays of the lamp I 5 toward the surface of the water, as shown by the dottedlines; in Fig. 2. i The. holder l'4visclamped inits adjusted position by aa'ringfla, the inner surface of which-is also. formed. as the segment of a sphere and fitting snugly against the surface of the holder. Thering. 1 8- isv held in position by a number of bolts 2llwhich are threaded into the flangefi; A compressible gasket-21 is seated in a recess on the rear face of the socket '5 in position to be forcedinto sealing "relation to theholder ['4 by the inward. movement of'thering I8 which is provided withanannular shoulder 22 which en ters the recess-for the gasket. UI'he inner edge portion of the hold'er M'- is screw-threaded tofireceive the screw-threaded.

clamp ring 24 which is provided with a flange 25 to hold the lamp in position. The outer edge of the flange bears against a cap plate 26 which, in turn, bears against a grommet 28 and holds it against a shoulder 29 on the ring Hi. The grommet 28 is channeled to receive the widest portion of the lamp 30. A cover plate 32 attached to the clamp ring 24 by bolts 33 completes the assembly.

The lamp itself may be of any commercial type, but is preferably fitted with a fog-penetrating lens and a filament shield which eliminates scattered light above the beam. It will be noted that the light does not project outwardly of the hull so that it will not be accidentally damaged. A plurality of these improved docking lights arranged symmetrically about the hull will illuminate the entire circle of water about the boat at a distance of on hundred feet or more. 7

The docking light is a valuable aid to afterdark maneuvering of the boat, particularly in docking.

What is claimed is:

l. A docking light for installation through the side of a boat comprising a ring-shaped socket When the clampingring-is drawn up formable upon complete engagement of the re- I taining. member, and means detachably secur ing the retaining member to the flange.

2. The invention of claim 1', the lamp-:holding member lying behind the outer rim of the socket throughout a substantial range ,ofrangular ad-" axial extent suflicient to occupy the hull thickness ofya boat, means surrounding'the ring member' and adapted to secure the same from the inside and outside of a'boat hull, a frusto-sphericalsurface formed on the inner face of the said ring member, a lamp holder having an outer frusto-spherical '.surface'v mating with the said frusto-spherical surface in the ring member, and arclamp ring detachably secured to the rear of the said: ring member and bearing "against the lamp'eholder, said fru'sto-spherical surface in. the rin'gainember having its forward limits spaced substantially rearwardly of the outer extentyof said ring member, whereby the outer extent of said lamp-holder lies within the outer "end. of the-saidlring member throughout a substantial range. of angularadjustment of the lamp-holder. 'An illuminator for installation in the hull of'a' boat comprising a ring member having an axial extent sufiicient to occupy the hull thickness of a boat, means surrounding the ring member and adapted to secure the same from the inside and outside of a boat hull, .a frusto-spheri cal surface formed on the inner face of the said ring member,. a lampholder having an outer frusto-spherical surface mating with the said frusto-spherical surface in the ring member, and means to clampthe lamp-holder in adjusted angular po'sitionin said surface, said frusto-spher-- ical surface in the ring member having its forward limits spaced substantially rearwardly of the outer extent of said ring member, whereby the outer extent of said lamp-holder lies within the outer end of the said ring member throughout a substantial range of angular adjustment of the lamp-holder.

5. In combination, a boat hull having a through opening above the water line, a ring member in said opening, protruding from the opening on one end thereof, and having a flange engaging the area around the opening on the other end thereof, a clamping ring surrounding "the protruding portion of the ring, means securingjthe clamping ring and flange to the boat hull, a frusto-spherical surface on the inner face of the ring. member, and having its extreme, outer portion lying substantially rearwardly of the outer extremity of said ring member, means having an outer, frusto-spherical surface mating with? said frusto-spherical surface in the ring member; and constituting a lamp housing, a member bolted tojthe said flange and adapted to contactthe lamp housing to secure it in adjusted, angular position, and a resilient, water-seal ing-member engaging-the lamp-contacting memher, the ,saidrin memberand the lamp-holding member. Y.

' JOHN MORSE. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file .oi'thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name "Date Re.i15,607 I Vallot .May 15, 1923 243,780' Jennings July 5, 1881' 416,850 Nelson Dec. 10, 1889 1,125,824 Earnshaw Jan. 19, 1915 1,703,224 Challis et a1 Feb. 26, 1929 1,776,004 "'Luders" Sept. 16, 1930 1,779,180 MacRae et a1. Oct. 21, 1930 2,128,461 Johnson Aug. 30, 1938 1 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date England Oct. 15, 1926 

